Chapter 1: Rude Awakening
WAKE UP
PLEASE, WAKE UP
PLEASE . . .
Their eyes drifted open, out of focus at first... or, what was in focus? It was utterly dark. Then they looked down at their hands - or what should have been hands, and screamed.
Leaf petals. They were a flower. Again!
They screamed more. "Mommy! Daddy! Where are you! It's dark! I'm scared! I'm so scared! WHERE IS EVERYONE!" The head of the blossom drooped in despair. "I'm alone... all alone. They abandoned me..."
Then, somehow, they were able to see themselves, for who they truly were. And screamed again.
...Flying apart from each other. Together... joined together, as one?
"Chara!" he cried, looking at the ghostly figure beside him. Then he remembered, and growled. "Why am I with you!"
She scoffed. "Why am I with you! You big crybaby. Of all the idiots to wake up to." Then she looked at him askance. "Why am I awake? Did you awaken me?"
He stared back suspiciously. "I didn't do anything... I was finally at peace. I dreamed... of someplace like Heaven. Then this happened!"
She muttered, "I was dreaming..." Her voice drifted off, and she shook her head as memories of flames and cries of despair tormented her. "-Nothing, just... nothing."
He looked dubious. "You only say that when you don't want to talk-"
"Shut up."
"Why are you like this?" he murmured sadly. "Once, you were so nice and fun-"
"I said shut up!" she exclaimed.
PLEASE
He wanted to cry, wailing, "Why can't we just stay dead!"
"I wish one of us was dead." He flinched away as she eyed him menacingly, a disturbing look on her face. "Want me to try?"
PLEASE!
That stopped them, a chill running through their ghostly forms. He asked hesitantly, "Is... s-someone there?"
"Who the hell would be there-?" she began, then choked the last of it off. Someone was speaking in a voice like thought.
PLEASE . . . I NEED YOUR HELP
WE ALL NEED HELP
WE HAVE ALL BEEN ABANDONED
I BELIEVE I CAN SOLVE THIS
"Solve what?" she asked, then rolled her eyes. "This? There's no fix for this! No one can solve this! Buzz off, freaky voice guy!"
"Hold on!" he interrupted. "Who are you?"
MY NAME IS UNIMPORTANT
BUT YOUR AID IS CRUCIAL
"What can we do?" he asked uncertainly. "We're just... ghosts."
"Don't listen to him," she grumbled to Asriel. "He's crazy!"
GHOSTS, YES
BUT YOU HAVE A VESSEL
SOMEWHAT LIMITED
BUT WITH INTERESTING CAPABILITY
HOWEVER
MUCH TIME HAS PASSED
I AM AFRAID
LITTLE IS LEFT FOR US
WE MUST ACT SOON
IF WE ARE TO BE SAVED
She snorted, "He just wants to save himself."
THAT IS TRUE
BUT I ALSO WISH
TO SAVE YOU
YOUR MAJESTY
"Prince Wimp-a-lot," she began, then stopped short. "Hey, wait-!"
AND YOU AS WELL, YOUNG GIRL
BUT YOU MUST BEHAVE HONORABLY
I REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID
"So you're some guardian angel-?" she began sarcastically, then her face bore a look of dread. "Oh hell... it can't be..."
He gazed at her in perplexion. "What do you mean? Who is-?"
"Shut up," she snapped, turning away, her form quivering in a fit of anxiety. What was she so upset about?
This was all too strange, and he wanted to get things back on a footing he might possibly begin to understand. "So... how are we supposed to help you?"
IN THE DEPTHS
NEAR THE CORE
A FORBIDDEN AREA
A LABORATORY
EVERYTHING IS SHUT DOWN
BUT YOU CAN RESTORE IT
TO FULL OPERATION
I WILL SHOW YOU HOW
MEET ME THERE
"Okay..." he began, but it felt like the Presence was already gone. He tried to regain control of Flowey's plant-body, but something was being difficult about it. Maybe it had been fixed in one spot too long. He had to wonder about Chara's reaction to the being. He muttered as he struggled to regain control of unwilling tendrils and roots, "I don't know why you're being so weird. I'm not as stupid as you think I am. I'll figure it out." He froze as a remark came from behind him, a chill running through his ghostly body.
"You wished one of us was dead. At least, that's what you said."
He backed away in despair as she crept near, her face a mask of hate. "Oh, I can't kill you. Not really. You need a body and a SOUL for that. But I can consume you. And I'm really, really hungry!"
Asriel wailed in terror as the girl seemed to be changing, and looked ready to do horrifying things to him, much worse than pain and death. "W-wait! Don't! Mommy? Daddy? God! Anyone! Please Chara, stop! Please SAVE ME!"
She transformed into something terrible. He knew what it was. All her pain, guilt and inner suffering. All her sin and murderous intent. Without a heart or conscience to restrain even a bit of it. And he was helpless to resist. She fell on him like a bloodthirsty beast. Like a ruthless demon. He begged her to stop, screamed for her to stop, but she would not.
He had to watch it, shivering in horror, unable to do anything to help him. He wished he could die instead. But he had to listen, to witness it all, because he desperately needed her help. From the depths of his being came a soundless scream. The place shook from it.
There was a terrible darkness, consuming everything
She jerked upright, a cry strangling in her throat, and looked around anxiously.
She was in her room. Her safe, comfortable, ridiculously pampered room. Outside, the sun was shining bright, the birds chirping, with the sounds of the city enjoying a cool summer morning. But something still felt terribly wrong.
"Ohmygod ohmygod, oh my god..." she gasped, holding her face in her hands. It was just a stupid dream, right? Right?
Right?
But the fear, the dread, those horrible images... she couldn't shake them, and began to pray hard for her little friend who had been gone for so many years now.
She jumped as the door opened abruptly. "Good morning, dear-"
It was Toriel, her adoptive mother, wearing her typical blue dress reminiscent of her royal robes from days long passed. Her cheerful smile of greeting was frozen on her face, as she tended to shift from mood to mood gradually. "What is the matter, my child?"
"Oh! Nothing," Frisk lied offhandedly with as disposable a smile, though she knew by now that the Caryna woman sensed that it was definitely something. "Just... a dumb dream."
"Well, perhaps you would like to discuss it over breakfast, dear. In any case, rising and going about your day will help to cheer you up. And you want no moody clouds to taint your first week home from the university, do you?" Even after all these years in Human civilization, she spoke like a true queen. "Oh, and Gorey is making some of those delicious blueberry pancakes you love so much. You do not want to tarry on this special day."
"Oh! No, thank you both so much! I'll be right in," she replied as Toriel eased the door shut. Gorey, as she fondly referred to Asgore now, had reconciled with her within a year of their time on the surface. The culture shock of the Human world made them both feel isolated and lonely, even in the company of their former subjects, as the whole alien atmosphere of Human life permeated every aspect of the world above. Even though she once stubbornly detested the male, the fear of losing him in the terrible cataclysm on that Final Day, and the passage of time, finally softened her heart toward her estranged husband. It was wonderful to see them together again, and to have a mother and father in their home. If there was anything lacking from their old relationship, it was hard to imagine it.
But that dream...
It bothered her badly. And there was no way she would discuss that with her mother. It would be more than painful, it would be downright cruel.
She gazed out the window to the peak of Mt. Ebott, the once dreaded mountain that swallowed people from the world forever, for strange reasons no one suspected. Was there something hidden within it after all these years? Something forgotten that should never be?
He lay under a tree in a nearby park, snoozing the morning away as he usually did.
The sight of the dozing skeleton clad in a blue coat, shorts and slippers wasn't unusual, and the neighborhood kids inevitably tried to see how closely they could nudge their play to him before he began making magical warnings to them. Harmless of course, and he was actually quite popular with them. But, kids will be kids, and he was jarred awake as a football banged off his skull.
"Meh... tykes," he muttered, flicking the ball up with tongues of blue flame at a shape that appeared over him. "Take this and..."
He blinked as Frisk caught it, smiling down at him. "Aaaand...?"
He grinned up at her, though that smile rarely left his features. "Have fun, what else?"
"Mind if I join you?" she asked, not bothering to wait for the answer.
"Sure, knock yerself out. Just not with that. Kinda smarts."
She giggled, sitting beside him so he could gaze at that face of his that charmed her, and threw the ball to a child beckoning for it. "You're up early."
"No I'm not," he replied, folding his arms behind his head once more. "Y'know, your taste in clothes never seems to change."
Even though she had a large wardrobe, thanks to the generosity of her parents, she almost always dressed in clothing exactly like the striped shirt and pants she had worn in that strange but wonderful underground world she fell into a decade ago. It was a sentimental attachment she could never break, nor did she ever want to, though she had moved on to slacks instead of shorts most days. "Oh... it makes it easier to get dressed in the morning."
"Sure thing. That's why I only have this coat and shorts," he admitted. "Guess you're almost as lazy as I am."
"Right," she smarted back. "Or I picked up your bad habits."
"Ain't no bad habit if it makes life easier," he said with a wink. "Enjoying your summer vaca?"
"Of course I am."
"Know what day it is?" he asked with a leer. Somehow, even with that unchanging expression, it was obviously a leer.
"Sans Goof Off Day? Like every day?" she asked, nudging his hip with a toe.
"Right first try," he replied, grinning.
"Of course I know, silly," she said. "It was ten years ago today that the Barrier was destroyed, and all your people were set free." She thought in wonder of that time, how it all transpired. "Your kind had been trapped underground so long ago that we completely forgot you even existed."
"Yeah... says a lot about our popularity. Or how bad your memories are," he chided.
"Okay now, that was so long ago that history had swallowed it up. We didn't have digital recorders back then, and a lot of our history was lost. But you're super-popular now."
"I know." The skeleton couldn't help but poke fun at his sibling. "Papyrus finally has a fan club with double digit membership, like he always wanted. And he went on a date with someone other than you."
She had to laugh. "All right, Sans... didn't you say your brother was super cool?"
"Yeah... he is at that," he admitted. "Coolest bro on the planet."
"Okay, just wanted to be sure. And all the changes your people went through, coming to the surface... and for me too. I was in your world for all of... what, a month? And I was completely immersed in it all. I almost forgot what my world was like."
"Yep," he murmured in satisfaction. "Bad memories."
She slapped his shoulder. "You're impossible. Anyway, that last day underground was something else. And... wow..." She gazed off into the distance as if her thoughts had come to life. "I could hardly believe it. In a moment, everything turned really dire. I was so afraid for everyone... I can still remember it like it was yesterday."
"Nah, it was years ago, remember?" he joked. "Besides, you were just a kid, facin' off against the Mega God Of Hyperdeath, or whatever he called himself. We were scared to hyperdeath you were gonna be nothin' but a bloodstain. And, well... the whole universe would be his play toy. But you saved everyone, everything, even him."
"Yeeaahh... I suppose," she drawled out somberly.
He arched a brow. "You suppose?"
"Well, not... everyone..." she murmured, tugging the corner of her mouth. "I didn't save him..."
He eyed her sympathetically. "You said he was himself for a while."
She gave a faint nod, still gazing off at nothing. "But, Sans... it's not right, how he..." Her voice trailed off sadly.
"Ended up?"
She nodded slightly.
"You miss 'im, don'cha." It wasn't really a question.
She nodded again.
"Hmm... ya know, they didn't find anything this time," he mused. "I think he 'n Chara finally found their peace, and moved on. And it's thanks to you, ya know."
She nodded again with a snuffle.
He groaned out a sigh. He hated it when people got emotional, especially girls. Especially Frisk. "Hey, come on, change of subject. This is a happy day-"
"Those six SOULs..." she interrupted. "The ones your kind collected... how did those people die?"
He blinked at her in surprise. Such a question, and out of the blue like that? "Well, I didn't mean any old subject..."
"They were killed, weren't they," she continued, and it sounded like an accusation.
This was growing uncomfortable. "Well... y-yeah, kinda..."
"Kinda?" she asked darkly. "Who killed them?"
He choked, unsure of how to answer. "Jeez, kid, what's with the heavy mood all of a sudden?"
"I seem to remember you saying that... unless Toriel hadn't asked you to protect me... I would be dead where I stand. Is that what you told me?" He was silent much too long, so she drove her final point home. "You know, it was because of that crazy SOUL stealing scheme that Asriel had his life destroyed, and Chara's. Why the underground was nearly destroyed too... was, for a while. You know that, right?"
He sat up, gazing at her worriedly, beads of perspiration forming on his skull. "Frisk... stop. Please stop. Please. That's not me anymore. That me ceased to exist. A long time ago. After I met you. You changed us all... changed everything. For the best. We're all different because of you."
"Yeah... I know." She gave him a lopsided smile and pushed him back down to the grass. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to know if our friendship meant that you could talk to me about anything without keeping creepy secrets. Or really, I'm just... in a mood. And I guess I want you to share in the misery. It's a woman thing. Or something."
"Gyaaahh..." He heaved an exasperated sigh. "Jeepers... is it that time o' the month or what?"
She jabbed him in the side with her toe. "We don't talk about that."
"Oh, right," he replied, getting settled. "Guess that costs limbs or somethin'."
She managed to chuckle. "Something like that."
"Aaanyhow..." he asked, slightly more at ease, "seriously, what's up with the third degree? Even Undyne never pulled his kinda stunt on me."
"I don't know," she fibbed. "I'm just... upset."
"Tell me about it," he muttered somberly, then added, "Seriously, tell me about it. Let's talk. We've always been able to yack about all kindsa stuff before." He leaned up, gazing at her hopefully. "And are we still cool?"
She touched his chin with her index finger. "Nice Cream cool. I'll love you forever. I just... you know, there are so many things you never told me. And I've wondered for years... and you always said to me that friends could talk about anything."
"Almost anything," he corrected, laying back down. "Touchy subjects can... you know... cut to the bone."
She couldn't help but laugh. "Ohh, now I remember why Papyrus forbids you telling those awful puns."
"I thought you learned that first thing," he grinned. "Anyhow, go ahead and get stuff off your chest."
She sighed, not wanting to get into her fears just yet. "When I was in high school learning about physics, Dr Alphys told me things that I wasn't quite sure lined up with what I was being taught. But at the university, my professor and I got into the deep end of quantum mechanics one day, and he began sounding a lot like her. Causality, entanglement, parallel dimensions, d-branes... oh my god, the math is insane! Have you seen manifold equations?"
"You get used to it," he told her. "With some practice, you can work it out in your head."
"You've got to be kidding me." She thought it was time to work towards what was bugging her. "Sans, you said some funny things in the past that stuck with me. But you didn't go into it as much as I wanted to."
He shrugged. "You wouldn'ta understood it."
"Try me now." She fixed him in her gaze. "What is this universe? What am... I? What's a Prime Mover?"
He patted the grass beside her. "Lay back down. We think better lyin' down."
"You sleep better lying down," she muttered, but did as he asked.
"No lie," he admitted. "Anyhow, look at the sky through the leaves. Whadya see?"
She was about to say leaves, clouds and sky, but muttered snarkily, "Okay, professor Sans, what am I seeing?"
"Leaves, clouds and sky, silly girl." He couldn't resist.
She groaned, "I am going to kill you."
"Okay okay... seriously, even with all the sun and blue sky and stuff, you're also seein' light from the ends of the universe. Light that goes back to the dawn of Time itself for all we know. See, I been readin' up on your knowledge base. We never wrapped our heads around something as vast as the entire universe, but Humans, you guys are ambitious. The sky ain't big enough to contain your imagination and thirst for knowledge. You go all out. But as much as you know, you don't know the first things, and you won't admit it. At least not out loud. The first stars, the origin of life... you got no idea how it all began. I guess it's scary or humblin' or somethin', having to admit you don't know as much as you think. And it is pretty hard, figurin' that kinda stuff out."
"I know," she replied a bit vacantly. "I get into argument over it all the time. Of course, I get accused of having my mind polluted by you Monstors."
"Oh, is that what we are now? Mind polluters? Guess somebody's gotta do it." He had to grin. "Anyways, we kinda had a sort of theological-slash-sciency way of looking at The Big Picture. So... let's say there's this guy called God. And He makes a universe one day. He makes it pretty, 'cause He's an artist. He makes it all really complex, 'cause He's a genius. He likes mysteries, so He makes it hard to figure everything out. He likes people to get along, so He fills it with Love. It ain't enough. He makes more universes, because He's so creative.
"But, somethin' went wrong.
"You guys believe in a Devil. We do too. For whatever reason, he didn't want to play nice anymore. He kinda screws things up, sometimes really bad. But God wants to maintain order, so He makes Prime Movers. Important people, powerful people, powerful SOULs that can shape history. Scatters 'em around through history, mostly Humans. You guys are practically a race of Prime Movers. You dominate everything.
"And we also drag God into it because of all the spiritual stuff in the universe that science has no clue about. I can't believe you Humans still don't know what a SOUL is, and most people think magic is some kinda superstition. Magic is at its very fundamental nature just energy. And according to quantum mechanics, the universe, time and space and everything is at its fundamental nature just energy. See? Metaphysics is a real thing, and spiritual stuff really is scientific." Frisk nodded in wonder at the revelation. But then, talking with Sans was often an eye opening experience. "And just where the heck do ya think all that came from? And SOULs... they don't come from here, this universe. It's why they're so weird 'n hard to deal with. We come from Somewhere Else. This isn't home, Frisk."
She sat up and gaped at him in astonishment. "You never told me that!"
He shrugged with that enigmatic smile. "Hey, there's a bazillion and one subjects, kid. Where do ya start? If I talked about a scouche of it, I'd never get a nap. Besides, you Humans have'ta take things in doses, let it sink in. You get so lost sometimes. Like, you guys who beat us stupid in the War and sealed us underground forgot how to use spells? Humans are hard to figure sometimes."
"Well..." she murmured somberly, "we still haven't figured ourselves out either, and we both have issues in our past. I'm sorry about all that."
"Eh, it worked itself out. Things are pretty cool now, aren't they? Anyhow, way off topic. More hairy stuff to follow. Prime Movers and all that. They keep the world from fallin' apart, so He doesn't have to deal with a bazillion problems every second Himself. So that people like Flowey can't screw things up too much. It's how come you know what a SAVE is, what a RESET is. You see 'em, Frisk, you know how to use 'em. You're a really special person. No doubt, it's why you were able to make friends with everyone. You changed us all, changed our lives, forever. We owe you everything, not just our freedom. You really are kind of an angel."
She gazed off into the distance quietly for a time. "Sans... I failed. I failed Asriel. What kind of angel does that? I don't understand... I weild that kind of power... I was able to save almost everyone. But why wasn't I able to save him?"
He wondered what he could tell his friend that wouldn't upset her. "Kid, I wish I knew. I guess... some things just are. I don't like it either, but-"
"That's unacceptable." She looked aside for a moment. "What did you mean by 'We didn't find them this time?' How many universes have you been in... how many do you exist in?"
"Well, just this one," he replied with a snarky grin. "But I've been a few places."
She said pointedly, "You'd risk everything for Papyrus, wouldn't you. Even your life."
He shrugged to her. "In a heartbeat."
"What about Gaster?"
He drew a breath and propped himself up on his elbows. Is that what all this angsting was about? "Okay kid, ya got me. But Gaster's a special case-"
"How so?"
"How so? Frisk, Dr Gaster was lost in the CORE itself. I never really told ya much about it, but the CORE is a quantum engine that cuts through dimensions and draws power from it all, kinda like a black hole. Its properties aren't totally understood. And he..." Sans became quite melancholy just then. "He fell into it. It's why there are... pieces of him..." He choked, unable to continue.
She felt badly for him. "Oh, Sans... I know you... hinted... and I saw..."
"Yeah, I... don't like gettin' into that subject too much." He made a feeble shrug, managing to relax. She wished she could be so casual with her emotions. "I'd save him too if I could, kid. The problem is... he's not here, if you catch my drift."
"But Sans, you gave me the key to your lab. I went in. You must have known I'd eventually figure it out."
"Yeah," he beamed at her proudly. "Didn't take long to find it, either."
"I saw the machine."
"And you couldn't figure it out."
She shook her head. "No, but I never forgot it, and I took a picture of it and the schematics with my cellphone."
He smirked to the sky. "Yeah, it figured. Had to be Alphys, fixin' that thing up. Dang it, girl..."
"Never mind that. As I studied more and more science, it started to make sense." She leaned forward, staring at him intently. "You want to save them, don't you."
"Well, yeah, but I haven't been able to-" he began, then pieces fell into place. "Them? Ohh, that's what this is all about, why you dove so deep into quantum physics-"
"Yes!" she exclaimed, looking away. She didn't want him to see in case she got emotional. She was still upset over her morning vision. "Sans... I had a dream. A really bad, bad dream. About Asriel, and... Chara."
He urged gently, "So... tell me about it? But kid, one thing; dreams aren't all that reliable."
"This one was, I know it. She did something to him... oh, it was awful! I have to go back - I have to save them! I know it's been ten years, but if this is for real... please, you have to help me."
"Well... I guess I could see what I-" And then another piece fell into place. "Wait, you said them, and you didn't mean Chara, did ya?"
"No... I didn't see him, but there was a voice as faint as a thought. He spoke precisely in lofty terms, sentences broken into short partials."
He nodded, looking thoughtful. "Sure sounds like him."
"And Sans," she added urgently, "he said they didn't have much time left."
"Well then." He pushed himself up and got to his feet, offering his bony hand to her. "Lemme think about this a bit and get back with you. Your place or mine?"
She stood, brushing her pants, and made a face. "Your place is always a mess."
"Awrightie then," he said with a grin. "My place."
She was aghast. It looked like a couple of frat houses had thrown a party. And then had another few parties on top of the remains. The perpetual tornado of trash was still going strong. "Is this your revenge for what I put you through at the park?"
He raised his bony arms in protest. "Hey kid, if ya hadn't phoned me every two minutes, I might'a tidied up a scouche more. Anyhow, pull up a pile and have a sit."
"Yeaah..." she drawled out, pretty sure that all he had done is come home for another nap. At least it didn't smell like an animal house, but then, Papyrus wouldn't tolerate an actual mess. Yes, they still lived together, and in the very same house, just rebuilt on the surface. She hadn't given him more than ten minutes rest before she began spamming him with calls and texts, so maybe she was actually to blame for the state of his room. She shoved a pile of laundry out of a chair, all socks, and sat facing him as he slouched down in his own laundry pile. "Okay, perfessor, so what have you thunk?"
"First, tell me what you can of yer dream. I'm gonna assume it's legit for now. And when it starts to sound flakey, it'll be my turn."
"Okay," she replied, trying to collect her thoughts. It was easier now, a half hour later. "Well, there was this darkness. They woke up in it, merged together in that Flowey plant, and they freaked out, screaming in fear at being alone, no one around at all."
"So, they just woke up on their own?"
"Oh yeah. There was a voice," she replied. "That soundless voice. I'm assuming it was Gaster. It woke them up. But they weren't aware of it at first. And they realized they were combined and split apart. They squabbled... Chara was being a little monster, when that Voice got their attention. He spoke to them, tried to get them to help him with some sort of experiment. At least that's the impression I got, that he was going to try something, some sort of desperation move for them. Even Chara." The way she said her name didn't sound favorable. She eyed her skeletal friend closely. "At a secret lab. How many are there, Sans?"
"Well, ya saw the one. And listen, I ain't gonna hold out on ya," he told her earnestly. "I care for these guys too, ya know."
"I knew I could count on you," she smiled back. "It's just good to hear it from the skeleton's mouth."
"Glad that's settled," he said with a grin. "So what happened next?"
Oh my God, what happened... it took her a moment. "Well... he left, and they tried to get Flowey... going again, and... and..." She couldn't go on, looking out the window, hoping the sight of the mundane townscape with nothing in particular happening would settle her nerves, but it just seemed to mock her anguish and fear for her friend. Even as brief as her time with him had been, she loved him immediately.
"Hey, listen," he urged her softly, "if this is a bad nightmare, just-"
"Sans, she... turned on him, and... what she did...oh God, I'm so scared for him..." She had to at least get that out, give him a taste of the horror she had dreamed of the poor child's torment.
"Well... is he okay?" At last, some urgency in his voice. So he was taking it to heart.
She shook her head weakly, still looking away. "I... I don't know. That's why I want to hurry. I was half ready to ride off on a trail bike alone. I can't let him down twice... I just can't." She looked to him pensively. "Do you believe me now?"
"Well, with all that, and the way you're all worked up, I kinda have to," he confessed, getting to his feet. "Guess I gotta give up bein' lazy for a while. First, we gotta-" The door banged open and in strode the taller of the two skeletons. "Let my brother in."
"Sans!" he bellowed, as much as Papyrus could bellow anyway. "You cannot start a landfill in my house!"
"You're a little late," his brother smirked. "Besides, we got a visitor you might wanna see."
"See? Who can see anything in this refuse dump-?" he began, cut short as a figure in a striped green shirt came flying at him.
"Papyrus!" the girl exclaimed, colliding solidly with the barrel-chested skeleton, and gave him a fierce hug. His wardrobe had expanded a bit to include a police hat, which went toppling, as he was an officer now. "Oh, I missed you so much!"
"Frisk!" he declared, having grown accustomed to calling Humans by name, and returned her caress. "What a pleasant surprise... in an unpleasant environment, but what else would it be in here? Are you home from college for your summer break?"
"Uni," Sans corrected.
Papyrus looked bemused. "Uni who?"
"It's not a knock knock joke."
"Oh..." He seemed almost disappointed.
She giggled. "Yes, and it's so good to be home with you all again."
"Take a load off, bro," Sans said to his brother.
Papyrus looked at the couch with its piles of science journals mingled with game and anime magazines, at the other chair with its stacks of alternating physics and joke books, and gave his brother a dull look. "I'm on patrol."
Sans raised a brow. "Patrol?"
"Of my indoor landfill."
Frisk had to laugh at their banter. It never got old. "I hope you can take a break from your patrol and hang out for a while. I missed you so much."
"Aww..." he crooned, putting a blue gloved hand to his face. "That is so sweet of you to say! But as to be expected for such a dashing, cool figure of a man as myself."
"Humble, too," Sans quipped.
"Indeed! And after you confessed such deep feelings for me," the skeleton declared amorously as a blush spread on Frisk's cheeks. "But I actually am on patrol, so I should get back to my duties. Even though nothing ever happens in Salvation Town, and there is no reason to capture humans anymore. Except for dates."
Frisk had to laugh... Monster dating techniques? "Well... come right home when you're off duty, won't you? Maybe a little early if Undyne will allow it? I could... really use your help."
"Yeeaahh... maybe-" Sans began.
"Say no more!" Papyrus interrupted. "I am the living incarnation of helpingness!" His expression fell a bit as he surveyed his brother's room. "Though I really should attend to another special project first. Brother, why don't you at least get a bookcase!"
He shrugged offhandedly. "There's no room."
"NYAAAH!" Papyrus cried, making Frisk cover her ears. When he was really upset, his voice could rival a chalkboard squeal. "I will help you move this mess outside to make room! And I promise not to write myself a citation for it!"
Frisk was glad for an opportunity to laugh again. "That would be advisable."
"I'm trying to keep an impeccable record," he said, planting his hand to his chest. "The only blemish I have is... well, failing to capture you, Frisk. Though at least I got a date out of it."
"And it was a very sweet date," she giggled, making her friend blush this time.
"Well, I... really should be on my way," he murmured. "I will be home just as soon as my duties allow. I'll make my classic spaghetti for everyone!" Over the course of a decade, he got enough advice on cooking that his meals were fairly decent now. "Try not to get injured as you hike your way out of this obstacle course of debris."
"I will," she said a bit wistfully, then before he could react, she practically tackled him in another hug.
"Frisk!" he blurted out in surprise. "What is the matter? I haven't seen you so upset in years."
"Well, I..." she began haltingly, and looked to Sans who returned an unhelpful shrug. "I'm afraid... something bad is happening back at New Home. I have to check it out."
"A mystery? And you haven't told your local authorities? Specifically, me?" he asked, looking hurt. "Frisk, this is why I wear the blue! And red." While his gloves and boots had been color swapped, he still wore his trademark red scarf.
"But... I didn't want to bother you..." How could she explain this without sounding like a silly, scared little girl?
"But I am here to be bothered!" he insisted. "Well, you know what I mean."
"We'll be sure to bother you later," Sans remarked. "You really should get back to your beat."
"I guess you're right..." he muttered glumly, turning to retrace his path to the door. "The first real case in a decade, and here I am, embroiled in a bureaucratic quagmire. I suppose I could file a report..."
"A report?" his brother said with a blink. "It's not case yet. It's not even a box."
"Oh you..." he grumbled. "Making bad jokes when Frisk is emotionally disheveled like that? I'll think of something." He avoided the whirlwind of debris, complete with that petrified plate of spaghetti, and closed the door behind him.
Sans smirked to Frisk. "Well, we're stuck with 'im now. There's no way to get rid of 'im when he sets his mind to something, ya know."
"But Sans, he could be a big help." She was surprised at his reaction.
"Yeeaahh... he's a really tough guy and all, but he's as soft-hearted as you are, maybe more," he reminded her. "And if this is really bad... I just hope he doesn't get hurt. Inside."
"I suppose. You know, you're a great brother," she murmured with a smile, giving him a hug. But then something occurred to her and she drew back with a dubious look. "Do you know something about all this, Mr Shortcut Through Time?"
He waved her off. "Ohh, I know all kindsa stuff. But this... might be like somethin' I went through before, it might not. Won't know till I see. Keep in mid that even in a world of parallel universes, there's a first time for everything-"
The door banged open again and Papyrus stormed in. "I have solved everything!"
"Well, that's a first," Sans quipped. "See what I mean?"
His brother looked to the ceiling with a scoff. "Even your lame puns cannot overcome my utter and complete victory!"
"What have you solved?" the girl asked, curious.
"I have extended my jurisdiction out to Mt Ebott!" he declared proudly, brandishing his police phone.
"Twenty miles?" Sans asked dubiously.
"Yes, brilliant! Isn't it! Now I can investigate with impunity! As long as Mayor Dreemurr or Sheriff Undyne don't find out anyhow. But no one ever checks the city charter. It's more boring than those dopey daily word puzzles-" He cut off as his phone rang.
"City hall?" Sans asked with a grin.
"Do be quiet! Official business and all that," he snapped, then looked up brightly as he answered. "Sheriff Undyne! This is Officer Papyrus, and I happen to be here with-"
"EGG ON YOUR FACE, THAT'S WHAT!" blared from the tiny speaker, causing him to flinch away. He wouldn't be surprised if the neighbors overheard. "I see someone put an art app on their official police phone AND USED IT TO REDRAW THE CITY LIMITS! Oh, wait... not the city limits, just THE BOUNDARIES OF PRECINCT THIRTEEN! AND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF PRECINCT THIRTEEN?! I'll give you two guesses. AND THEY'RE BOTH PAPYRUS!"
"Right both times! I'm putting you on speaker," he added quickly. "God Lord, that woman is observant. Or nosy."
"WHO THE HELL IS-!" she roared, then caught herself when she realized just what speaker implied. "I mean... ahem... whooo do I have the pleasure of yelling at?"
"Nobody," Sans joked.
"Undyne!" Frisk shouted with delight.
"No, that's me-!" the fish girl began, then noted a familiar tone in her ear. "Hey! Squirt! Is that you? Give her your phone so I don't have to yell so loud!" As Papyrus handed it over gingerly, she went on, her face filling the screen, "Hey, punk! When did you get back in town? It's been dead boring without you around! The whole town misses their little angel. And you're back on Deliverance Day! Perfect timing! And you get to witness me clobbering a fellow officer!"
"I wish you wouldn't do that," she chuckled as sweat beaded on her friend's cheek. "It's kind of my fault."
"That he redrew the precinct boundaries? You always were trouble," she muttered, then added with a grin, "But the best kind of trouble! I was hoping you'd show up to mix things up around here! But... just out of curiosity, why did you have Paps redo the bounds of Precinct 13?"
"That's Officer Paps," he corrected.
She wasn't quite sure what to say without sounding like a complete airhead. "Well... it's kind of hard to explain. See, I had this bad dream..."
Undyne gave her a dim look. "Kid, have you heard of milk and cookies? Or ice cream?"
"It's a little more involved than that," Sans remarked to save her further embarrassment. "Might be Asriel, and Gaster."
"You got Sans convinced of this?" she asked in astonishment, then tugged the corner of her mouth. "I'll be right there. Now... hand the phone back to Salvation's finest, please." She bore one of those toothy grins you didn't want to see.
Papyrus took his phone back with a sigh. "Can I at least have my retirement package when I resign?"
"You can't resign until I fire you! And you aren't fired. Now..." she said with an obvious smile in her voice, "Shall it be an infraction? Or a private training session with yours truly?"
He began, "I really like that resignation idea more-"
"I ASKED YOU A DIRECT QUESTION, OFFICER!"
He snapped to attention and saluted. "Yes ma'am! Commander! Sir! Uhmm... I suppose... traaiiiniiinng?" Frisk did her best to stifle a laugh. Poor Papyrus, he really prized that spotless record.
"Wonderful," she said in a voice beaming with cheer. "Oh, and in the meantime, PUT THOSE DAMNED BOUNDARIES TO PRECINCT THIRTEEN BACK WHERE THEY BELONG, REMBRANDT! AND DON'T MESS WITH THEM AGAIN! GOT IT?!"
"Right away, Commander!" He saluted again. "Oh, uhm... one thing while I have you, sir. I was wondering... why my district is number 13. We only have two precincts in the entire city."
"Don't you remember? It's your lucky number!"
He blinked in confusion. "It is?"
"Yeah! RIGHT AFTER I TALKED YOU INTO IT!" She bellowed with raucous laughter. "SEE YOU IN TEN, ROOKIE!"
He put his phone away with a sigh. "We've had so many strange conversations, it's hard to remember them all. Oh wait, the boundaries!" He snatched his phone back out, then hesitated. "Uhm... I don't remember the details. Sans, you're my I.T. guy, would you help me?"
Frisk had to giggle as he sauntered over. "Sure, give it here. See, you just gotta revert to the previous..." He paused, giving his brother a strange look. "You saved over the master?"
He blinked in perplexion. "I did?"
"Eh, never mind, I'll fix it right up." The short skeleton drew on the screen with his finger, and seemed to be doing a bit more than a simple outline. "Here ya go, better than new."
"Why, thank you brothe - better than new?" He looked at the screen and his eyes bugged out. "SAANS?! This is your FACE!"
"Yeah! See?" He pointed to the screen. "This eye hole is right over my room. So no more patrols of the landfill. Great, right?"
He clenched his fists and gave an ear-splitting cry. "NYAAAH! I'll make you suffer with me for this!"
"I think I just got deputized," he muttered. Just then, there was the sound of a distant siren growing closer, a roar of a nearby vehicle and a squeal of tires out front. "Whew... saved by the fuzz." There was also the bang of metal containers. "Aand, we lost the trash cans..."
"Ohh, not again..." Papyrus whined, checking his phone. "That couldn't have been three minutes. What did she do, drive through people's yards?"
"Wouldn't surprise me-" Sans quipped, just as she barged in explosively.
"AWRIGHT HEROES, GET DOWN HERE!"
"Welp," Sans muttered as Papyrus shoved his phone away, "looks like we got a party."
She was standing there with a smirk on her face, looking like she was ready for war. She had donned a SWAT vest stuffed with gear and grenades. A belt circled her slim waist with a pistol, tazer, mace and a billy club. She bore a large backpack loaded with more gear that was probably just as dangerous. Under it, she wore an armless t-shirt and trousers, with combat boots to round out the uniform, and all of it was black. She pocketed dark police glasses, naturally, as they emerged.
"Undyne!" Frisk exclaimed, launching herself from the second floor at the Salmian. She had never lost her tomboy enthusiasm. As she was about to bound up to give her a hug, Undyne stopped her at arms length. "Heya, punk! Great to see ya! But let's save the hugs for later, okay?" She gave the girl a toothy grin. "Ya might set something off."
"Jeez, chief, you ain't lyin'," Sans commented as he plopped into a chair. "Ya join the Marines too?"
She spit nothing from her teeth. "Come prepared or don't come. Simple as. So anyhow, tell mommy your bad dream."
The girl withered a bit at that, as she took it personally when her special friends talked down to her. "Undyne, please... this is serious." She slunk to the couch.
"Yeaah... sorry," she muttered, looking aside. "I been bored stupid lately, and something's been nagging me. That came out wrong. Go ahead, I won't smart off." Unless this was really stupid...
She could practically read the woman's thoughts and shivered, but... she was who she was, and she loved all of her. "Okay. Well... I guess I'll start at the beginning..."
Undyne's presence filled her with determination, and she managed to reign in her emotions for the most part. She did her best to keep from embellishment, but it was hard to deal with that last terrible scene when Chara mauled Asriel. His cries for his mother, father, God... anyone to save him. She sat there shivering for a moment as the others grew uncomfortable. "Something's wrong... I just know it." She looked to Undyne hopefully.
To her surprise, the warrior stood there looking dour. "There was a tremor at the mountain last night. And stories of spooky things happening in the area. I confirmed with friends at the Riverport police... people haven't talked about stuff like that for years."
"See? I knew I was right." She felt vindicated, somewhat, but it was bittersweet.
"Asriel... poor Asriel... we thought you were..." Papyrus moaned, looking ready to cry. He jumped to his feet, declaring, "We have to do something now!"
Undyne grinned to him. "I love a guy who wants to dive face first into danger for me! Let's go."
Papyrus murmured hesitantly, "Well... I didn't quite mean it like that..."
"Uhh..." Sans interrupted with raised bony hand. "Can we make a detour before we go runnin' off into some incredible unknown whatever?"
"To?" Undyne asked dubiously.
"Oh..." he said with a smile, knowing she would like this detour. "To see Alphys. I was actually gonna do this first thing."
"Sure!" the fish girl blurted out, then checked herself. "I mean... any reason?"
"About a certain lab?" Frisk asked with a lopsided smile.
Sans cocked a finger at her. "You got it, kid."
Undyne's face darkened. "She's not going."
Sans waved her off. "Nah, it's not like that. Frisk means my lab."
"You have a lab?" The fish girl looked up to his room dubiously, at the little tornado of trash just inside. "It better not be in there."
He chuckled. "Nah, it's the one place that's spotless."
Papyrus was appalled. "Why can't you be consistent! Instead of consistently sloppy? I'm putting a lab sign on your bedroom."
Frisk began to lean over to him to say something privately as Sans chuckled, "Doesn't work like that, bro."
"Never mind," she murmured.
"Okay, comedians," Undyne interrupted, "let's take this act on the road."
The little golden reptile girl sighed as she watched Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 9. She loved it, and that so many movies were out, but was both amazed and dismayed. "I... I just don't know... oh, alien invasion now? It - it's like ten different people write their own scenes! It had better resolve itself better than Mew Mew 4 did. Who's responsible for this? Where's the continuity? It's all over the map-!"
She became flustered at the sound of people approaching and rushed to close the movie window on her computer, dragging over a finished pile of schoolwork. "These test scores... they're all over the map!"
Undyne threw the classroom door open followed by the others, exclaiming, "Alphys! How's it going-?" She waited patiently for the stunned reptile to collect herself from the floor. "Uhh... sorry, my bad."
"Oh! Uhh! Undyne! No! Swee - I mean, h-hey!" She fumbled her glasses in place, and then choked back a cry. "Gah! W-why are you wearing a... small arsenal?"
She glanced down at herself, then smiled back. "Oh! Just going to Grillby's."
Alphys gaped back in bewilderment. "Y-you armed up for that?"
The warrior gave her a piteous look. "Uhm... no." Sometimes she really was clueless. But, maybe they had barged in while she was watching anime on the clock again. Then she spotted a colorful, open, half-concealed DVD case and smirked. Nailed it.
Hey, listen," Sans cut in. "I have a little project I been tryin' to hatch by myself for years, and thought maybe you could help out. Seems right up your alley."
"Hatch? What do you...?" she began, then began to quake. "Y-you mean... a technological project?"
He nodded. "Yeah-"
"That would give me a chance to flex my mental faculties?"
"Yeah-"
"And apply my knowledge to solve deep mysteries of scientific inquiry?" She was getting really excited now.
"Yeah-"
"And really dig in to all that science and technology and quantum mechanics and stuff?!"
"Right gotta go!" he blurted out, slamming his key onto her desk, hoping the abrupt noise would get her to pause for half a moment. It worked. "We're in kind of a hurry. And it's sort of a Gaster level project, if ya know what I mean, nudge wink."
"Nudge wink?" She gazed at him in confusion. "What do you - Frisk!"
"Quite an observant scientist," Papyrus remarked dryly. Undyne gave him a sharp elbow jab.
She hopped down from her seat and waddled in front of the Human girl, quivering and wringing her hands. "I-it's really nice to s-see you again. I - I've admired your... work on that resolution interfacing universes of d-different dimensions..." Before she could prattle on any longer, she found herself engulfed in a warm hug, and melted into it. "Ohh... Frisk, I... I missed you... a lot..."
"I missed you too, Alphys," she murmured, lightly stroking the reptile's back.
They lingered in each other's arms for a time until Alphys drew back. "Y-you have to go? B-but... you just... got here and all..."
"I know..." Frisk murmured forlornly. She wanted badly to unload her story on her friend, but knew she needed a clear, untroubled mind so she could focus on her work. "Listen, we'll be back before you know it, and then we can do... whatever. Summer break, you know." She leaned close, murmuring, "And how did you get a copy of Mew Mew 9? It's not even out in Asia yet."
"Oh, you saw-?" She had to giggle. "Ehm... w-well, I have friends in the studios. They even paid to have me scanned... i-in my undies..." She couldn't go on, her cheeks flushing a bright rose.
Undyne made a choking sound.
"Welp, time to go," Sans declared.
"We... really..." Frisk giggled, unable to conceal her own blush, but she had to steal one last hug from the dear little reptile, and a peck on the cheek. "We'll be back before you know it."
She sighed, returning Undyne's wink, and brushed her hand across her cheek wistfully as they left. "Oh, you guys... I really m-miss those days together... such good times..." But then her eyes popped open. "W-wait! Hey, where's your workshop!"
"Lab's behind the house. Gimme a call if ya can't find the lock." He waved his phone. "You got my number. Maybe you could use it more'n once or twice a year."
"Right! Right..." she sighed as the door closed. She gazed somberly up at her desk, at the curriculum she wanted badly to update herself, and always got into hot water when she did, even as she was commended by the faculty for it. At the clutter and disarray of her geeky life strewn across it. At her computer with the movie paused just before aliens descended on the Earth. But then she flipped the silver key and caught it deftly. "School and Kissy Cutie can kiss it for a while. I have real science to do."
Author's Notes.
First, I must apologize for the extra "cryptic" dialogue from that Mysterious Speaker at the beginning of the chapter... I wonder who that is? My attempt to make it more mysterious by adding spaces doesn't play well with this website, or maybe with any website, and lobbed off almost all of it but the last letter. I only noticed the problem now. I'm sure that was fun reading... and head scratching...
Some additional information:
Caryna: the race of Monsters typified by the Dreemurr family. They have characteristics of goats, of bears, of dogs and wolves to an extent. They are natural organizers and administrators, and rulership is quite natural for them. Quite handsome people, but also quite powerful and dangerous if they take a disliking to you, as they are both strong in physique and magical powers.
Salmi: the race of Undyne's people, which take after the piranha. Their folk used to greet intruders... and devour them alive in quite a messy bloodfeast. Needless to say, traveling salesmen learned to avoid their regions.
Metaton's notes.
(Dramatic show music plays)
Welcome once again, my adoring fans, to another edition of...
METATON'S PREVIEW OF UPCOMING ATTRACTIONS!
In our next exciting chapter...
Undyne wears this stunning wardrobe, complete with an entire arsenal!
Everyone goes for a drive!
They eat granola bars! Such quick and easy nutrition!
Undyne nearly hits a tree!
Papyrus gets buried under 160 feet of synthetic rope!
They go spelunking! ~Look it up, darlings.
They go for a swim! With their clothes on!
Sans doesn't peek! You'll see.
Frisk stuns herself!
She lies to her MOTHER! And you thought the sock drawer incident was scandalous!
Alphys and Undyne almost discuss politics!
Frisk doesn't get benched!
Alphys updates her status a LOT! Everyone IGNORES THEM! How rude!
Undyne drinks lots of water!
Alphys desperately needs a microwave!
Frisk is filled with hopes and dreams! And Determination!
Alphys sees a ghost!
Frisk says something incredible!
Undyne nearly says something naughty!
And then... well, you'll just have to see...
